Macau's government will allow the Macau Jockey Club to keep using the existing racecourse facilities free of charge for one more year, until March next year, after the two sides signed documents ending the club's concession contract. The arrangement is meant to give the company time to move its horses out in orderly batches1.
Secretary for Administration and Justice Cheong Weng Chun said the club's labor rights and the proper placement of its horses were the most important issues in the termination talks. Under the signed termination documents, the club undertook to handle affected employees' labor rights in accordance with the law and to move its existing horses out of Macau before March 31 next year. Cheong said penalties apply if the terms are breached1.
"按照雙方簽署的解除批給合同文件，馬會承諾將依法妥善處理受影響員工的勞動權益事宜"
The club has 570 employees, made up of 254 local staff and 316 non-resident workers, according to Labour Affairs Bureau director Wong Chi Hong. The company has promised to pay severance in line with the law, and the bureau will hold briefings for staff in groups on their labor rights. The club's shareholders have also expressed interest in taking on local employees, and job referral services will be offered1.
On the horses, Municipal Affairs Bureau official Ng Sau Hong said the club currently keeps 289 horses, including retired racehorses and teaching horses. The bureau has carried out routine inspections with the club covering stable hygiene and horse health, and will keep inspecting after the contract ends to check the animals are properly cared for1.
The club intends to send its horses to the mainland for equestrian use or for equestrian clubs, and the government has discussed health and quarantine requirements for horse imports with the mainland. If the horses go elsewhere instead, the bureau will assist, since quarantine rules place requirements on the receiving site and the transfers must be arranged in stages1.
The club does not have to pay the government any compensation or damages for ending the contract, but it must cover its own operating costs during the free-use period1.
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Free use of racecourse facilities | One more year, to March next year |
| Deadline to move horses out | Before March 31 next year |
| Employees | 570 (254 local, 316 non-resident) |
| Horses held | 289, including retired and teaching horses |
| Compensation to government | None |
What it means for players
The racecourse facilities stay in the club's hands for another year, but only to house and move horses, not to run race meetings. Racing in Macau is still running, though the final meeting is due in April 2024, when the concession ends on April 1, 2024, and nothing in the termination terms provides for new fixtures. For locals, expats and visitors who bet on Macau racing, there is no restart date to point to; the free-use period is a relocation window, not a resumption of the sport. The 570 staff facing redundancy include 254 local workers, and the club's shareholders have signaled interest in hiring locally, so some racing industry jobs may continue in other forms. Betting on Macau's own product is not covered by this arrangement, and no replacement venue or operator has been named. Readers looking at what remains available in the territory can check the Macau gambling guide and the page on Toto Macau and New Macau Mark Six.
What happens next
The club must move all 289 horses out of Macau before March 31 next year, with the mainland the intended destination for equestrian use. The government has already discussed quarantine and health requirements for horse imports with the mainland, and the Municipal Affairs Bureau says it will keep inspecting stables after the contract ends. Penalties apply if the club fails to meet the terms, though the specific penalties have not been reported.
Sources1 sources
- 承諾妥善處置員工馬匹 馬會免費借用馬場多一年 - 正報新聞, chengpou.com.mo
